Frictional connecting mechanism for straight knitting machines



Jan. 3, 1933. LE ROY w rr 1,893,312

FRICTIONAL CONNECTING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 5, 1932 50 52 1 3 INVENYZfig}: a i P J BY gafi goz' w /////,f /////Z/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE LE BOY W'HITE, OF SHILLINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BERKSHIRE KNIT- TING- MILLS, OF WYOMISSING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF IPENNSYIL- VANLA.

FBICTIONAL CONNECTING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING EACHHTES Application filed Januaryi, 1932. Serial No. 584,786.

This invention relates to frictional connecting mechanism, and articularly to the type employed in flat itting machines which is adapted to yieldingl connect the coulier mechanism and the t read carrier bars thereof.

The thread guide carrier bars of flat knitting machines are arranged to slide longltudinally and to engage relatively fixed stops so as to limit the movement of the thread guides relative to the needles of the knitting machine thereby to determine the width and shape of the fabric as well as the extent of the ornamental reinforcing, or plating eflect bein produced. The carrier bars are actuated 1; rough motion transmitting devices in the form of. frictional connecting boxes slidably mounted on a so called friction or coulier rod that receives a constant and uniform longitudinal reciprocatory movement from the coulier mechanism; such movement being substantially greater than the maximum travel of each and all the carrier bars. The friction boxes are arranged to be clamped to the friction rod, for unitary movement therewith, and for sliding motion relative thereto, subsequent to the abutment of the carrier bars with their limiting stops.

Ordinary lubricating methods have been found inadequate to maintain smooth and uniform gripping .and sliding co-action between the friction boxes and the cqulier rod and at thesame time to provide a substantially rigid connection between the friction boxes and the coulier rod under the circumstances noted above.

When first greased or oiled the coulier rod slides too freely through the friction boxes and at such times does not provide the necessary substantially rigid connection therebetween. In the course of a relatively short period of operation the lubricant becomes exhausted or becomes gummy which produces chattering and undue vibration between the friction boxes and the coulier rod under the relative sliding movement therebetween, subsequent to the engagement of the carrier bars with their limiting stop abutments, when a smooth relative sliding action is desired.

The object of the present invention is to provide constant uniform lubrication between the friction boxes and the coulier rod whereby a ractically uniform and substantially rigi connectlon will be maintained between the friction boxes and the coulier rod, when these elements are moving in unison, and whereby a smooth and uniform relative sliding action will be attained between these elements, after the carrier bars have engaged their limiting stop abutments. p

The construction of the mechanism forming the subject of the present invention will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional plan view through a friction box showing the coulier rod limd a thread carrier bar associated therewit Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 33, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the friction box comprises a housing 1 having a central ening 2. The housing 1 is provided, at eac of its opposite ends, with a bearing 3, which is adapted to receive and slide on the coulier rod 4. The bearings 3, 3 are integrally 'connected by bridge members 5, 5. The bridge members 5, 5 are provided with guides 6, 6 for the reception of arms 7, 7 that extend upwardly-from a foot member 8. The foot member 8 extends longitudinally of the coulier rod 4 and is guided by depending proj ections 9, 9 extending downwardly from the bridge members 5, 5 respectively. Intermediate the arms 7, 7 above and below the coulier rod 4 are shoes 10 and 10a respec tively which extend longitudinally of the coulier rod 4. within the opening 2 of the housing 1. Intermediate each of the shoes 10 and 10a and the coulier rod 4 and suitably secured to the said shoes are strips of friction material 11, 11 which for all practical purposes may be composed of leather.

Secured in the upper ends of the arms 7, 7 is a transversely extending pin 12 on which is rotatably mounted the hub 13 of a hand lever 14, which is adapted to bear on the upper surface of a bow spring 16, the opposite ends ofwhichbear against the upper shoe 1'0 for'res'iliently' maintaining the shoes 10 and 10a in slidable gripping engagement with the rod 4. The lower shoe 10a is supported by the foot member 8 of the vertically sliding element which is composed of the foot 8 and arms 7, 7.

By this arrangement the strips of friction materials 11, 11 carried by the shoes 10 and 10a respectively are drawn into gripping contact with the coulier rod 4, when the lever 14 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 2. To release the friction materials from the rod 4, the lever 14 is thrown into an opposite position bringing the cam projection 15 out of contact with the bow spring 16.

Slidably mounted in the depending projections 9, 9 for movement transversely of the coulier rod 4, is a bolt 17 which is adapted to be projected into a groove 18 formed in a fitting 19 secured to a thread carrier guide bar 20, the bolt 17 being provided with a handle 21 ada ted to be retracted into a recess 22 forme in the housing 1 for releasing the carrier bar 20 from the friction box.

To prevent relative rotation between the coulier bar 4 and the friction box the latter is provided with a yoke member 23 having arms 24, extending around and at opposite sides of a guide rod 25 which is rigidly secured in a position laterally spaced from and parallel to the coulier rod 4.

In order to provide smooth and uniform gripping and sliding coaction between the coulier rod and the friction box, the said coulier rod, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is provided with a plurality of openings 30, arranged in staggered relation with respect to each otherthroughout the length of that portion of the coulier rod 4 upon which each of the friction boxes moves. Each of the cavities 30 is filled with a semisolid lubricant, such for example as graphite, or a combination of heavy grease and graphite, having a consistency which will retain the lubricant in the cavities 30 of the coulier rod 4 and at the same time provide or supply the necessary lubrication between the bearings 3, friction elements 11, and the hearing or contacting surface of the coulier rod 4 to permit of free and easy sliding action between the friction box and the coulier rod at such times as the carrier bar 20 is in engagement with a fixed abutment (not shown) and yet providing the necessary adhesion between the friction elements 11 and the surface of the coulier rod 4 to effect a substantially rigid connection between the friction box and the coulier rod when the two are moving in unison.

For the greatest possible efliciency, it is desirable that the number of the openings 30 and their staggered relation with respect to each other will be such that all portions of the rod-engaging surfaces of the friction elements 11, 11 will at one time or another, during the relative sliding motion between the friction box and the coulier rod, come in contact with at least one of the plugs of lubricant 31 carried by the openings 30, 30 respectively, thus providing a film 32 of lubricant between each of the friction elements 11, 11 and the surface of the coulier rod 4.

By the provision of the lubricant plugs 31 in the coulier rod 4, no delicate adjustment of the hand lever 14 is necessary, due to the uniform state of lubrication between the rod and the friction boxes at all times, thereby eliminating the necessity for frequently making such delicate adjustment of the lever 14 by the more or less cut and try methods commonly resorted to under the old methods of lubricating the rod 4 to obtain an arbitrary coaction between the friction elements 11 and the coulier rod 4.

I claim:

1. The combination of a reciprocable rod and a motion transmitting device connected thereto in slidable frictional gripping engagement therewith, and means for maintaining substantially uniform gripping and sliding coaction between said rod and said device, comprising a body of lubricant contained in the surface of one and contacting the adjacent surface of the other.

2. The combination of a rod, a friction box slidable longitudinally on said rod, a friction element carried by said box, and a body of lubricant contained in said rod and contacting with the correlated sliding surface of said friction element.

3. The combination of a coulier rod and a friction box connected thereto in slidable frictional gripping engagement therewith, and means for maintaining substantially uniform gripping and sliding coaction between said rod and said friction box, comprising a body of lubricant contained in the surface of one and contacting the adjacent surface of the other.

4. The combination with the coulier rod and a friction box of a knittin machine, of means for maintaining substantlally uniform ripping and sliding coaction between said box and said rod, comprising a body of lubrlcant contained by the rod and arranged to engage a contacting surface of the friction box movable on and relative to the rod.

5. The combination with the coulier rod and a friction box of a knitting machine, of means for providing constant substantially uniform lubrication between said box and said rod and comprising a plurality of plugs of lubricant contained in relatively spaced openings formed in the rod and arranged to engage a contacting surface of the friction box movable on and relative to the rod.

6. The combination with the coulier rod and a friction box of a knitting machine, of

means for maintaining substantially uniform ripping and sliding coaction between said box and said rod, comprising a plurality of plugs of lubricant contained in relatiyely spaced and angularl staggered openlngs formed in the rod an arranged to engage a contacting surface of the friction box movable on and relative to the rod.

7. The combination with the couller rod and a friction box of a knittin machine, of means for maintaining substantially uniform gripping and sliding coaction between sa1d box and said rod, comprising a plurality of plugs of lubricant contained in relatiyely spaced and angularly staggered openings formed in the rod and arranged to engage substantially the entire area of a contactm surface of the friction box movable on and relative to the rod. I

8. The combination of a rod, a frlct on box, bearings at the o posite ends of sa1d friction box and slida le longitudinally on sa1d rod friction elements slidably mounted on said rod and confined between said bearlngs, means for releasably drawin sa1d friction elements into engagement wit sa1d rod, and a plurality of relatively spaced lubrlcant plugs carried by the'rod for engagement w th the relatively sliding surfaces of the friction box parts.

9. The combination of a rod, a frlction box, bearings at the opposite ends of said friction box and slidable lon itudinally on said rod, friction elements slidably mounted on sa1d rod and confined between said bearings, means for releasably drawing said fr1ct1on elements into en agement with said rod, and a plurality of re atively spaced and angularly staggered plugs of lubricant disposed respectively in cavities formed in the surface of the rod on which the box slides.

10. The combination of a rod, a friction box, bearings at the opposite ends of sa1d friction box and slidable lon itudinally on said rod, friction elements sli ably mounted on said rod and confined between said bearings, means for releasably drawin said friction elements into engagement wit said rod, and a plurality of plugs of lubricant arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to each other around and in the surface of the rod on which the box slides.

11. The combination of a rod, a friction box, bearings at the opposite ends of said friction box and slidable longitudinally on said rod, friction elements slidably mounted on said rod and confined between said bearings, means for releasably drawing said friction elements into engagement with said rod, and a plurality of plugs of lubricant spaced longitudinally of and in the surface of the rod on which the box slides.

12. The combination of a rod, a friction I box, bearings atthe opposite ends of said friction box and slidable longitudinally on said rod, friction elements slidably mounted on said rod and confined between said bearings, means for releasably drawin said friction elements into engagement wit said rod, and a plurality of p ugs of lubricant s aced longitudinally of and circumferential y of alng in the surface of the rod on which the box s 1 cs.

13. The combination of a rod, a friction box, bearings at the opposite ends of said friction box and slidable longitudinally on said rod, friction elements slidably mounted on said rod and confined between said bearings, means for releasably drawing said friction elements into engagementwith said rod, and a plurality of plugs of lubricant spaced longitudinally, circumferentially, and angularly of and in the surface of the rod on which the box slides.

14. The combination of a reciprocable rod and a motion transmitting device connected thereto in slidable frictional gripping engagement therewith, and means for maintaining substantially uniform gri ping and sliding coaction between said rod and said device, comprising a surface of one of said members having therein an aperture extending inwardly into the body of the member and closed at its inner end, and a lubricant contained in said a erture contacting the adjacent surface of tl fe other member.

15. The combination of a reciprocable rod and a motion transmitting device connected thereto in slidable frictional ripping engagement therewith, and means or maintaining substantially uniform gripping and sliding coaction between said rod and said device, comprising a surface of said rod having therein an aperture extending inwardly into the body of the rod and closed at its inner end, and a lubricant contained in said aperture contacting the adjacent surface of the motion transmitting device.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LE ROY WHITE. 

